An unsurprising announcement. The pro-Russian occupation authorities of the regions of Zaporijjia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk (Ukraine) announced on Tuesday 27 September that the “yes” had won in these two regions during the annexation referendums organized by Russia.
The electoral commission of the region of Zaporijjia affirmed that 93.11% of the voters had voted for the attachment to Russia, after the counting of 100% of the ballot papers, while specifying that it was a question for the time being preliminary results. For its part, the pro-Russian occupation administration of Kherson region claimed on Telegram that 87.05% of voters said “yes”, after counting 100% of the ballots.
The electoral commission of the Luhansk region, quoted by the Russian agencies Ria Novosti and Interfax, affirmed that 98.42% of the voters had voted for the attachment to Russia, after the counting of 100% of the ballots. The Central Electoral Commission of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) said that 99.23% of voters supported the attachment of this region to Russia, after the counting of 100% of the ballots, according to the agencies Russian press.
Speaking to the Russian press, the head of the occupation administration of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, already claimed victory at the end of the afternoon during this vote organized in urgency over five days, in spite of the bombardments and in presence of the Russian armed forces. “It is already clear that the overwhelming majority of people supported leaving Ukraine and uniting with Russia”he said of the area under his control.
As soon as the results of an election which he condemns were announced, Volodymyr Zelensky took the floor to attack Moscow. “We will act to protect our people: both in the Kherson region, in the Zaporizhia region, in the Donbass (and also) in the currently occupied areas of the Kharkiv region and in Crimea”said the Ukrainian president in a video posted on Telegram.
For his part, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs had already swept away the value of these votes. “It will not change anything in our policy, our diplomacy and our actions in the military field”said Dmytro Kouleba during a press conference in kyiv with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna.